The First Lackey Under The Empress

A chance for promotion? Zhao Du'an was stunned, his heart skipping a beat at that moment: "Your Majesty means… promotion to the Worldly Realm?"

This book is first published on the entire network by 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞

Along the way, countless days and nights, he had been thinking about advancing as soon as possible.

But all things in the world contain hidden laws, and haste makes waste. In this world, the 'Worldly' Realm is considered an absolute 'expert' in any force.

After all, there are only four Heavenly Beings on the surface.

Therefore, although he was stuck at the bottleneck of the Divine Chapter, it was extremely difficult to truly cross this final step.

"Yes," in the peasant's side room, the Empress, wearing a simple ruqun and with her hair styled like an ordinary woman, paced excitedly in the room, her eyes shining brightly, explaining to him:

"To cross a major realm, there are often several methods. First, there is the slow and steady approach, cultivating day after day. The so-called 'when the water comes, the canal is formed' is the principle behind this."

No… What I lack is time. The slow and steady approach is not suitable for me… Zhao Du'an frowned.

Xu Zhenguan continued to speak eloquently:

"The second is to break through in a life-or-death situation.

For example, Ma Yan broke through the barrier during the Xuanmen coup, when he was stabbed several times and was on the verge of death… However, this method has an extremely high failure rate, so almost no one uses it except for madmen."

Well, I wouldn't use it either. The success rate isn't high, what if I die… Zhao Du'an nodded.

"The third is enlightenment, triggering celestial phenomena. As when you crossed from the Mortal Body to the Divine Chapter, Eunuch Hai used this method with you, but… this requires opportunity, which cannot be sought."

Xu Zhenguan sighed softly and said:

"As for the fourth, it is to use special natural treasures to assist in breaking through.

However, such treasures are extremely rare. The Yin-Yang Tree you described is one of them. It has appeared several times in history books, but was later lost. I didn't expect it to fall into the hands of that demonic priest!"

Zhao Du'an's breathing tightened: "Your Majesty, please explain in detail!"

Xu Zhenguan said with a smile on her face:

"This Yin-Yang Tree must be planted beside a spring, nourished by the earth's spring water, before it can flower and bear fruit.

According to your description, the fiery red color flowing in the leaves indicates that this object has been nourished for many years and has accumulated a lot of 'medicinal power'. As long as you immerse yourself in that spring water, inhale and exhale, you can use this wondrous object to break through the bottleneck…

However, the fiery red color on this tree will continue to be consumed. Once it is completely consumed, it cannot be used. It must be replanted for at least ten years before it can recover a little…"

"Now it seems that the bewitching demonic priest's choice to place the treasure house here is even more reasonable. The area around Hundred Flowers Village can sustain the growth of flowers and plants from all over the world, and the soil and water are extraordinary. Using the spring water here for nourishment is quite appropriate."

Zhao Du'an became more and more excited as he listened:

"If this Yin-Yang Tree is so magical, if Your Majesty goes to the spring…"

Xu Zhenguan smiled bitterly: "This kind of wondrous object is only effective for breaking into the Worldly Realm at most, and is of no use to me."

So that's how it is… Right, if this thing could break into the Heavenly Being Realm, that old Taoist would have used it himself long ago, and wouldn't have bothered to hide it… Zhao Du'an wasn't too disappointed:

"In that case, can I use this to break through?"

"Yes!" Xu Zhenguan was invigorated: "If you can break through, the journey back to the capital will be much safer!"

Zhao Du'an stared at the Empress in front of him, his eyes unblinking.

Their eyes met, the orange candlelight flickered, and the barking of dogs came from outside the house, peaceful and serene.

The atmosphere suddenly became strange!

Because both the monarch and her subject had simultaneously recalled the "alternative plan" that they had jokingly mentioned before the Fengshan ceremony!

If the Fengshan ceremony failed, there was still "dual cultivation" that could be attempted to help the Empress break into the Heavenly Being Realm again.

Originally, because Zhao Du'an was stuck in a bottleneck, this plan was not feasible, but the appearance of the Yin-Yang Tree gave things a turning point!

The imperial court does not lack a Worldly Realm cultivator, so whether Zhao Du'an can break through is not of great significance in itself.

The two people having equal realms, and being able to use "Dragon Soul" dual cultivation, is the strategic value!

Once dual cultivation is successful, the Empress does not need to return to the capital and can regain her peak strength.

And this is the best way to turn the tide and stabilize the deteriorating situation of the "Rebellion of the Eight Kings".

"Your Majesty… I…" Zhao Du'an subconsciously moved closer, and the two could almost smell each other's breath.

Xu Zhenguan's cheeks suddenly flushed red, and her eyes darted away.

Just then, Zhao Du'an suddenly twitched his ears, strode to the door, and suddenly pulled the door open a crack!

"Ah yo!"

Not knowing when, "Little Baihe", who had been quietly squatting by the wall, her hair combed into two little buns, slightly chubby, innocent and cute, fell on her butt.

"Baihe?" Zhao Du'an looked at the little girl eavesdropping, not knowing whether to laugh or cry:

"What are you doing?"

The precocious little girl peeked inside through the crack in the door, and each of her hands stretched out a thumb, moving them back and forth, bringing them together in front of her, winking:

"I came out to pee, and saw brother and sister like this… Dad and Mom are also like this…"

"…" Zhao Du'an.

"…" Xu Zhenguan.

Almost forgot that their shadows would be reflected on the window paper.

"Baihe? Come back quickly! Don't disturb the guests' rest!"

Hearing the commotion, Liu Wangshi walked out wearing her clothes. Hearing this, the woman and the man Liu Qi, who followed her out, both blushed and dug their toes into the ground in embarrassment.

They smiled embarrassedly and politely at the monarch and her subject, and dragged the little girl back into the house.

Little Baihe was still not convinced: "Brother and sister are not resting, they want to eat mouths… Wuu… Wuu Wuu…"

Bang!

After the Liu family of three closed the door, Zhao Du'an turned back, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and saw Xu Zhenguan sitting sideways on a round stool by the table.

In the lamplight, her complexion was like peach blossoms.

"It's late, let's sleep."

"Oh."

Putting away the spoils on the table, Xu Zhenguan went to bed, and Zhao Du'an slept on the floor. The latter extinguished the candle in the room with a palm wind, and suddenly fell into darkness.

Moonlight shone in through the window paper.

Xu Zhenguan said softly: "Although the Yin-Yang Tree is extraordinary, it cannot help you break through in just one or two times. Next, we will have to stay here for a few more days."

"This will delay Your Majesty's journey back to the capital," Zhao Du'an said hesitantly.

Xu Zhenguan was silent for a moment, then said: "It doesn't matter. Breaking through is more important."

Compared to running a few more days, whether Zhao Du'an can advance concerns the future direction of the dynasty. She thinks clearly about what is more important.

"Okay."

"Sleep."

"Okay."

Insects chirped and dogs barked, and the night passed without a word.

… …

The next day, after the monarch and her subject got up, they found a reason to avoid the disaster of war, gave the Liu family a sum of silver, and said that they wanted to stay for a few more days.

The Liu family happily agreed, and were also willing to let Little Baihe have more contact with the two "young masters and young ladies from wealthy families" to learn from them.

Thus, the monarch and her subject temporarily settled down. Zhao Du'an used the excuse of "going out to find out about the outside situation" and went out during the day, actually going up the mountain and drilling into the spring in the temple, using the Yin-Yang Tree to assist in breaking through.

He returned in the evening, and then quietly went up the mountain again at night when everyone was asleep, day and night without rest.

This Yin-Yang Tree is indeed magical. As long as you soak in the spring water, when you inhale and exhale, your whole body will feel like it is on fire.

The red fire flowing between the black and white small tree leaves repeatedly burns Zhao Du'an's aura and divine soul, refining it more and more pure.

He could clearly perceive that his stagnant cultivation was increasing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and he believed that in a few days, he would be able to break through the barrier when the "water overflows".

After telling the Empress, this further strengthened the determination of the monarch and her subject to stay and escape after breaking through.

Xu Zhenguan stayed in the village. In addition to swallowing the elixirs left by the Bewitching Real Man to heal her injuries, she simply put on a straw hat, picked up a hoe, and went to the flower field with the Liu family to hoe weeds and catch insects.

The dignified Ninth Five-Year Supreme actually did not avoid it at all.

In just one day, the villagers of the entire Hundred Flowers Village came to like this "young lady from a wealthy family" who had her own noble aura, was gentle and polite, and had no contempt for them, the people at the bottom.

The lively and mischievous yellow-haired girl "Little Baihe" also entangled the Empress all day long, becoming more and more intimate.

On the first day, the Empress learned the basic essentials of farming and flower cultivation from the Liu family.

On the second day, the Empress was able to keep up with the villagers' work without falling behind in the fields.

On the third day, she was already familiar with these planting and agricultural matters, and she was even better than the best flower farmer in the village.

On the fourth day, the whole village was surprised to find that the flowers that this "Miss Xu" had tended grew extraordinarily moist and beautiful, which was unbelievable.

… …

… …

Just when the monarch and her subject seemed to have integrated into the paradise of Hundred Flowers Village.

In the county town under the jurisdiction of Hundred Flowers Village, a group of uninvited guests came.

Inside the county yamen.

Ouyang Ye, wearing a hood to cover the tattoo on his face, sat on the chair in the hall of the county yamen, with the plaque inscribed with the four characters "Justice and Brightness" above his head.

On the left and right sides of the hall, Yao Shiniang, with a curvy figure, heavy makeup, and a few wrinkles on her face, sat separately.

And the warlock "White-Haired Eagle" with messy white hair and a red bone flute hanging from his waist.

The three of them used "teleportation" that day to escape Eunuch Hai's poisonous hands and save their lives. Then they reorganized their forces, and with the support of reinforcements sent by the prince, they embarked on the road of pursuit again.

Although Eunuch Hai's martial arts are strong, his manpower is limited, and even the strongest cultivator cannot withstand continuous battles.

Although he tried his best to stop them, he still allowed this rebel army to enter the Huai River and chase after them again, following the "smell".

"Master Ouyang, this official really doesn't know the whereabouts of that Zhao Du'an," the local magistrate bowed and smiled obsequiously, but his forehead was covered with sweat.

He was not under the command of Prince Jing, but a newly appointed magistrate in the Huai River Road.

Before his butt was even warm, he learned that the Emperor had been assassinated during the Fengshan ceremony and his whereabouts were unknown, and various vassal kings had raised troops to "serve the king".

During this period, he had been suffering unbearably, preparing to surrender to whichever force arrived first.

He hurriedly said: "This official has been looking forward to Prince Jing for a long time. Now that the prince's men have arrived, this county will naturally do its best to serve the prince…"

Ouyang Ye put his legs on the large table in the court for trial, glanced at him, and said:

"I received a report from a secret agent that traces of thieves were found in your jurisdiction. As the county magistrate, you know nothing about it?"

"This official really doesn't know…" the magistrate explained with a bitter face.

Ouyang Ye looked at him with a smile that was not a smile. Suddenly, a flash of snow-white light flashed in the court!

"Pfft!"

The blade cut through flesh, and everyone in the court was shocked to see Ouyang Ye cut off the magistrate's head with one knife!

A head rolled to the ground, an expression of shock frozen in its pupils. Moments later, the headless body in official robes gushed blood and toppled backward!

“Ah—”

The clerks, constables, and other officials in the hall turned ashen with terror!

They wanted to flee, but a full squadron of rebel cavalry in the courtyard had them pinned, leaving them no escape.

Ouyang Ye flicked his wrist, shaking the blood off his Miao sword, splattering a red line on the gray ground. He sneered:

“His Royal Highness doesn’t accept just any riffraff. If he were to accept such a turncoat, he’d only have to worry about a betrayal.”

At that moment, two secret agents walked in from outside the hall. One of them said:

“Sir, the interrogation is complete. The traitor Zhao was last seen several days ago entering Hundred Flowers Village and has been hiding there.”

No one mentioned “Empress.” In the official propaganda, Zhao Du’an’s bizarre disappearance was defined as “colluding with demons to assassinate the Empress.”

Therefore, Ouyang Ye and the others were operating under the guise of capturing the “traitor Zhao.”

“Hundred Flowers Village? He didn’t leave?” Ouyang Ye’s eyes lit up. “That’s strange. Did he get tired of running?”

The demon woman, Shi Niang, suddenly said in a sinister voice, “I’m afraid he’s there to recover from his injuries.”

Last time, she burned her lifespan to activate the Lamp God, and her hatred for the court and for Zhao Du’an had reached its peak.

“Heh, not surprising. But even if that false emperor recovers, he’ll only be at the Mortal Realm at best. And this time, we’re well-prepared and more than capable of suppressing him.”

Ouyang Ye sneered, stood up, and walked out of the county office, looking at the rebel elite arrayed in the courtyard.

Each armored soldier wore magical armor, wielded a magical longsword, and carried a demon-banishing crossbow and a golden net at their waists.

All accounted for!

Coordinated with the military formation, they were more than capable of dealing with Mortal Realm martial artists head-on.

“Let’s go. To Hundred Flowers Village, to capture that adulterous couple!” Ouyang Ye’s expression was grim.

In the courtyard, the Jing Prince’s private army responded in unison:

“Yes, sir!”

…

Afternoon.

Xu Zhenguan wore a headscarf and was cutting grass in the flower field. The Son of Heaven personally tending to agriculture was part of ancient rites.

Besides allowing successive emperors to understand farming, doing these things as the Son of Heaven could also, in the dark, play a role in stabilizing the dragon aura to a certain extent.

The sun was scorching. Xu Zhenguan raised her head from the flowers, wiped the fragrant sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, and looked toward the mountains behind the village.

She knew that Zhao Du’an was in the temple on the mountain. Several days had passed, and Zhao Du’an was only one step away from advancing. According to her estimation, he could break through in another day or two.

“When the time comes, heaven and earth will work together. Could it be that the fortune I’ve accumulated is taking effect here, giving him this opportunity?”

“Once he steps into the Mortal Realm…”

Xu Zhenguan’s mind once again recalled the matter of “dual cultivation,” and she couldn’t help but feel a burst of absent-mindedness, her heart in turmoil. For a time, she both hoped for his breakthrough and feared it.

Just then, the Empress’s delicate ear twitched. She suddenly came back to her senses and looked into the distance.

On the dirt road leading to the village, a large group of cavalry was rapidly approaching, shrouded in murderous intent.

Xu Zhenguan’s pupils suddenly narrowed!

Cavalry?

Although these soldiers weren’t carrying any banners and their identities were unclear, how could the small Hundred Flowers Village attract cavalry?

There seemed to be only one answer.

Xu Zhenguan’s heart sank. At that moment, she wasn’t thinking about escaping, but rather that the Yu Kingdom’s citizens here would be implicated because of her.

She looked around. In the boundless sea of flowers, the flower farmers were also gradually straightening their backs, looking at the cavalry with awe and curiosity.

They were completely unaware that they were about to suffer a catastrophe.

Xu Zhenguan’s heart tightened. She knew that she should take advantage of the chaos to escape right now. No rebel would guess that the dignified Empress would be disguised as a peasant woman working in the fields.

Therefore, she had a chance to escape in the chaos.

But…

Xu Zhenguan pursed her lips, looked at the villagers who were still unaware of the situation, and then glanced at the back mountain. Suddenly, she resolutely took off her headscarf and wiped her face, peeling off the mask on her face.

“As the Son of Heaven, how can I allow my people to be plunged into misery?”

Xu Zhenguan’s dress fluttered, and strands of energy tore apart the surrounding flowers. For a moment, various colorful petals danced in the sky around her.

“She’s there! Capture her!”

Ouyang Ye, leading the troops into the village on horseback, noticed this scene, his eyes lighting up. He shouted loudly, then cracked his whip and charged into the sea of flowers!

The cavalry, in a charging formation, rushed toward the Yu Kingdom Empress!

Xu Zhenguan’s body rose with a clear wind. Instead of fighting, she rode the wind and fled away from the village!

Fleeing in the opposite direction from the mountain where Zhao Du’an was cultivating!

She wanted to draw these pursuers away as much as possible!

Just like…

Zhao Du’an had drawn the enemy away for her in the past.

“Ah—”

The villagers of Hundred Flowers Village, seeing this scene, belatedly cried out in alarm.

Little Baihua, who was sleeping soundly in a flower patch, her hair styled in two little buns, got up and blankly watched as Sister Xu flew away and the horses trampled the sea of flowers.

…

On the mountain, in the dilapidated temple.

Zhao Du’an sat cross-legged in the spring, suddenly opening his eyes. He frowned:

“Why am I still short a little bit?”

In his perception, his cultivation was like downloading a resource with Xunlei in his previous life, stuck at the last 99%, unmoving.

“What am I missing? Could it be that the remaining power of this Yin-Yang Tree isn’t enough to help me break through? Or is there something else?”

Zhao Du’an stepped out of the spring, circulated his energy to dry the water on his body, put on his clothes, and frowned at the black and white trees, which were about to become dull due to continuous exploitation.

The once brilliant red little tree now had only a few red leaves left.

“I have a feeling that I can break through with just a thought, just that last little bit.”

Zhao Du’an shook his head and looked at the sky. The sun was setting, and it was time for him to go down the mountain and return to the village.

“I’ll ask Zhenbao when I get back. She should be able to solve my doubts.”

Zhao Du’an quickened his pace down the mountain, but he was stunned when he walked out of the dilapidated temple.

Looking out over the mountain village, the sunset was now blocked by the mountain peak beneath his feet, and Hundred Flowers Village was plunged into shadow.

At that moment, those scattered houses were being lit, burning into clusters of fire, like piles of bonfires standing on the earth.

“Crap…”

Zhao Du’an’s face turned pale instantly. His entire body pulled out afterimages as he approached the village at a terrifying speed.

…

At that moment, the peaceful and serene Hundred Flowers Village had been trampled by the rebels’ iron hooves.

In the dim sky, houses were being set on fire, and the straw on the roofs was burning with fierce flames.

A team of Jing Prince’s rebels was gathering the villagers at the entrance of the village.

“Don’t burn my house! Sirs! Please don’t burn it…”

An old woman with white hair cried out, being dragged out of the courtyard with one hand by a soldier.

The old woman was old and had been bedridden for a long time, unable to stand, but she was being dragged by the strong soldier with one hand, as light as a dog, looking back at the burning house with tears in her eyes.

“Let go of my mother…” Another man being driven along had bloodshot eyes and rushed over like crazy, but he was knocked to the ground with a miserable scream by a rebel wielding only the hilt of his sword.

The Prince’s mansion invested heavily in these elite private soldiers, covered in magical artifacts. How could a group of villagers resist?

At the village entrance, a group of villagers was being driven together, surrounded by the soldiers’ bright blades.

The Liu family was also among them. At that moment, the man named Liu Qi had bruises on his face and body, as if he had been beaten, but he was desperately protecting his wife and daughter behind him.

The gentle Liu Wangshi was crying silently, holding her husband’s hand with one hand and clutching Little Baihua’s hand with the other.

The little girl named Baihua stared blankly at this scene, as if she was frightened. She didn’t understand what was happening.

She only knew that Sister Xu had suddenly flown away in the afternoon, and then the soldiers had followed after her.

Then, some of the soldiers had returned, driving the villagers together with fierce expressions. She vaguely heard some scattered words when the rebels were talking.

It seemed that Sister Xu and that brother were some important figures, and these people were going to be arrested and convicted for sheltering them.

Those people kept pressing for the brother’s whereabouts, and the village chief was beaten until he vomited blood.

“Everyone’s here. It seems that the traitor Zhao has already escaped. It’s a pity that we can only capture these unimportant villagers to turn in, which is at least a contribution.” A leading rebel at the village entrance said.

Another rebel shook his head and said:

“Perhaps his escape isn’t necessarily a bad thing for us. Lord Ouyang and the others aren’t here. If we encountered that traitor Zhao, we might not be able to deal with him.”

The former laughed and said, “So what if this person is powerful? Didn’t he abandon his master and flee? Alright, let’s go. It’ll be dark by the time we get back to the city with these burdens.”

The rebels were talking and laughing, about to drive the villagers away, when suddenly everyone heard a sharp, low-pitched sound cutting through the air.

The neck of the elite soldier who had just been talking and laughing was cut by a flying knife that had appeared out of nowhere, leaving a line of blood. He clutched his neck and fell down in terror.

The other soldiers also looked in horror at the sea of fire burning into a continuous stretch.

Little Baihua was stunned. In her big eyes, she saw a reflection of angry flames, and in the midst of the flames, a familiar but particularly indifferent figure slowly walked out.

The Golden Crow Flying Knife was wrapped in a dark golden streamer, held in Zhao Du’an’s hand.

“It’s him! It’s the traitor Zhao!”

“The traitor Zhao has appeared!”

The soldiers, in shock, shouted and drew their swords, and some even fired magical crossbow bolts.

However, on Zhao Du’an’s gloomy face, there was no expression of fear.

He took a step, suddenly pulling out afterimages, appearing next to the Liu family, his warm palm slowly covering Little Baihua’s eyelids:

“Close your eyes.”

Zhao Du’an said softly, looking extremely calmly at the magical military knives that were slashing from all directions, the shadows of those countless knives overlapping in his flame-filled pupils.

“The mortal world…”

Zhao Du’an suddenly understood what he was lacking.

“It is this human realm.”

He raised his eyes and looked at the countless illusory red threads spreading toward the sky, and met the gaze of Pei Niannu, who was standing in the air, wearing a wedding dress and covering her face with a golden mask.

At that moment, Zhao Du’an stepped into the Mortal Realm.